Some Final Thoughts Before the Madness Begins

Hey Losties,

Before I get caught up in what I'm sure will be the all-encompassing, obsessive, mind-bending, confused, remember-it's-only-a-TV-show state of being and mind that is LOST (and love every minute of it), I wanted to take a moment to be reflective. To take a deep breath before diving in (or is it getting sucked in?) to what will undoubtedly be another wild ride.

A lot of people (even - gasp! - some I know and love) wonder what the big deal is with LOST. They ask, "Why would you want to watch a show that confuses you, where you don't know what is going on? That you have to work to understand? That you have to think about? Isn't TV a way to escape? An excuse not to think? To just relax after a long, hard day of work that fried your brain enough already and veg out? Isn't that the point of TV?" Well, judging by the quality of most shows on television *cough*American Idol*cough*, I can't say that they're alone in that opinion.

The thing is, they don't get it. And it's not that the show is too complicated for them, or that we're somehow smarter for understanding all of the island mysteries, interwoven plotlines, love quadrangles, character connections, hidden meanings, religious overtones, obscure historical and scientific references, corporate power struggles, walking and talking dead people, flash-forwards and flash-backs, and now time-travel, just for good measure. (Or maybe we are...) Honestly, we are confused about 90% of the time when watching the show, and for the 10% we believe we understand, we're probably wrong anyway. But that's just it: thinking about all of these things is fun. Getting into crazy philosophical discussions with co-workers the morning after is fun. Dissecting screencaps of the latest episode to find hidden clues is fun. And most of all, in my opinion, it's the chance to let your imagination run wild which is the most fun. Maybe it's not their kind of fun, but for anyone reading this, it's our kind of fun. It's a challenge. It's a game. They don't have to get that about the show.

But boy are they missing out.

After all, isn't LOST the ultimate escape? J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse, and the other writers and producers of the show took the cliche locale of an exotic deserted island and expanded it into an entire universe that we love visiting every week. They turned the island into a playground where philosophy, human relationships, religion, science, reality and imagination both conflict and intertwine. Maybe that doesn't sound like a vacation, but it allows our minds (and sometimes our hearts) to escape the drab, sometimes truly difficult, everyday grind. Then again, maybe it reminds us to appreciate how lucky we are. I mean, if you thought you had problems, just walk a mile in any of these characters' shoes, both on and off the island! (Two words: smoke monster.) The characters are basically normal people in extraordinary circumstances, just as we find ourselves in sometimes, but their version of extraordinary is quite different than ours. And it's that extraordinary quality that draws us in, week after week, and defines everything about LOST.

So, no matter what it is you enjoy about the show, enjoy our newest glimpse into this incredible universe. I hope you enjoy it with friends, like the picture of the LOST Season 1 cast at the top of this post. And I hope you will come here after to discuss, think, and enjoy with your fellow Losties.

Namaste, Good Luck...
and Have Fun!